THE IRANIAN man whose body was found in a freezing Ewell river had been "deeply affected" by atrocities he witnessed following the Iraqi invasion of his homeland.

Jason Khalili, 52, was found dead in the Hogsmill River near Green Lanes on December 1.

Father-of-five Mr Khalili, who grew up in Tehran, the Iranian capital, served as an army medic during the conflict between Sunni and Shiite Muslims before moving to the UK in 1995.

During the war – which ran from 1980 to 1988 and claimed millions of lives – he was based in the south west of the country where some of the most intense fighting was seen.

A woman who knew him from the early 1980s, but did not want to be named, said Mr Khalili underwent a dramatic personality change following the conflict.

"After the war he was always angry, angry at Iraq, angry at everyone," she said.

"Because he was under so much stress during that time he had emotional problems that lasted for the rest of his life.

"We saw so many awful, horrible things during the war – hospitals being bombed, fathers carrying the bodies of their children through the streets.

"That deeply affected him in everything he did."

Family members went to Mr Khalili's home in Epsom after his body was found, and they discovered a handwritten list of people to notify of his death and a will leaving all his possessions to the eight-year-old daughter he fathered with partner Emily Smith.

His keys, wallet, mobile phone and shoes were also left inside the house.

At the time of his death, Mr Khalili was subject to a three-month suspended prison sentence, imposed by Redhill Magistrates' Court on September 23 this year for common assault.

He had also been due back in court for allegedly breaching the terms of the community order he was handed.

Mr Khalili was previously jailed for 26 weeks in 2009 for slitting his own dog’s throat, although it was later revealed he had acted to save his son Massoud who was being attacked by the animal.

"When he wanted to be a nice person he was the best, there were several women who loved him very deeply," the woman added.

"He would do anything for his friends and family and will be sorely missed by them."